Natalie Czimskey's
Beautiful Brains
(UGS 303, Fall 2024)
Why PBL?
[Describe your course and learning objectives. Say why you were interested in trying PBL, how PBL was useful for the course. Ideas: Statement on how this semester was different/better from previous iterations of the class, how PBL helped you design a new course, a personal anecdote of hesitations, strengths, weaknesses, witnessing student success, why you would recommend PBL, etc.]
Student Reviews
- Lack of "test-pressure" increased interest in learning for some students.
- Application to a product increased saliency.
- Milestones kept students on track.
My Review
- I loved the flexibility this provided both for students and for me.
Natalie Czimskey, PhD
Assistant Professor of Instruction,
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
A quote from the instructor, students, community stakeholders (whoever) can go here or to the side (wherever). In particular, it would be great to get quotes from students reflecting on how PBL was different/better from other, more standard college course experiences. Was it enjoyable? Was it authentic? Do they feel more prepared for the job market? Did they learn more/better with this method? Did they feel like they were in the driver’s seat, in charge of their own learning/project? Like they were engaging with current, real-world problems with multiple solutions?
The Launch
Problem Statement
[What was the challenging problem in the field that students were trying to solve related to course content?]
Driving Questions
- What does it mean to reclaim an identity that was formerly called a "disorder"?
- What would it look like if our culture and world were built for individuals with a variety of identities and abilities?
Need-to-Knows
[What were the knows and need-to-knows for this course?]
A quote from the instructor, students, community stakeholders (whoever) can go here or to the side (wherever)
Entry Event: 4 Corners Discussion
To learn how to conduct a 4 Corners activity and discover more
ideas for active discussion, visit CATE's Active Teaching tab!
Active Learning
Sustained Inquiry
[How were students afforded opportunities throughout the semester to build an in-depth understanding of the course concepts by generating questions, finding resources, and developing answers?]
Student Choice and Voice
[How were students given latitude to drive their own learning by making choices about the products they created leveraging personal knowledge and strengths?]
Feedback Loops
[What were your benchmarks? How did you communicate the semester-long PBL process to students?]
A quote from the instructor, students, community stakeholders (whoever) can go here or to the side (wherever)
The Product
Deconstruct a Diagnosis
The final project for this course was a group presentation of a product, service, or idea aimed at deconstructing a diagnosis in current American culture for the purpose of improving communication across diverse groups of individuals.
Critique and Revision
Week 1: Milestone 1, groups
Week 2: Milestone 2, topic
Week 6: Milestone 3, history
Week 9: Milestone 4, content
Week 11: Milestone 5, outline
Week 15: Final presentations
Product Rubric
[How did you assess the final product?]
A quote from the instructor, students, community stakeholders (whoever) can go here or to the side (wherever)
Final Presentations
Final Presentations
[How did you organize the final presentations? Who comprised the live audience?]
Presentation Rubric
[How did you assess the final presentations?]
Final Reflections
[How were students coached to reflect on their learning and document growth?]
A quote from the instructor, students, community stakeholders (whoever) can go here or to the side (wherever)